Sightings of blue whales and fin whales off the coast of Southern Africa in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean have become more frequent in recent years, 40 years after the official ban on commercial whaling, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) press service, citing a study published in the African Journal of Marine Science.
"Our findings serve as important evidence that these ocean giants, [whales], are gradually recovering from the devastating impact of 20th-century commercial whaling, which pushed them to the brink of extinction," said study author Dr. Bridget James of the University of Cape Town in South Africa.
James emphasized that the southeastern Atlantic may have historically served as an important breeding ground for both blue whales and fin whales, particularly the ecosystem off the coasts of Namibia and South Africa. According to the study, observations in this part of the Atlantic Ocean from 1964 to March 2025 document 12 sightings of blue whales and one stranding, as well as 76 sightings of fin whales and six strandings. Notably, 95% of all sightings were recorded from 2012 onward.
"As populations slowly recover, we expect to see these whales begin to recolonize parts of their historical range. ... These species have a long way to go before they reach their historical numbers," said co-author Dr. Simon Elwen, director of Sea Search and a research fellow at Stellenbosch University.
The researchers emphasized that the recovery of whale populations does not mean the threats to them have disappeared, as large whales remain at risk of ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, underwater noise pollution, and threats related to climate change in ocean ecosystems.
"Both species remain vulnerable to modern anthropogenic impacts," Elwen noted.
The blue whale and the fin whale are the two largest animals on Earth. During the industrial whaling era, these species suffered the most intensive exploitation. Between 1913 and 1978, an estimated 350,000 blue whales and 725,000 fin whales were killed, leading to population declines. A global moratorium on whaling has been in effect since 1986.
In September 2024, the International Whaling Commission rejected a proposal to create a whale sanctuary from West Africa to the coasts of Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil.